Index
Scholarships
The Patricia Pogue Couper Scholarship
The Patricia Pogue Couper Scholarship was established on the occasion of Patricia Pogue Couper’s 86th birthday and in honor of the 65th Class Reunion of her husband, Richard “Dick” W. Couper, Class of 1944.
Patricia “Patsy” Pogue Couper, was the wife of late Hamilton alumnus and Life Trustee Richard W. “Dick” Couper ’44. While her husband served as the College’s provost and then acting president, Patsy raised four children in what is now the Wallace-Johnson House. She and Dick created and sustained the Williams-Watrous-Couper Fund, which provides support for faculty research and teaching improvement at Hamilton. They also established an endowment to fund the Burke Library’s directorship position (now known as the Couper Librarianship), as well as providing support for numerous other funds and initiatives including the Richard W. Couper Press and the Couper Summer Interns.
Patsy remained a loyal and generous supporter of the College until her own death in 2014. A 1945 graduate of Smith College, she earned a bachelor’s degree in art history. As a passionate life-long learner, she frequently enrolled in Hamilton classes where her classmates and instructors learned as much from her as she did from them. Beyond the classroom, she was ever-present at campus events, ranging from Convocation to Commencements, music and theatrical performances to summer picnics, nearly always surrounded by a group of friends and admirers. At Reunions 2007, the College presented her with the prestigious Bell Ringer Award, bestowed in recognition of contributions made to the College and its community. In 2011, Hamilton dedicated the Patricia Pogue Couper Research Room in the Burke Library and presented her with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Beyond College Hill, she was involved with and supported many other nonprofit agencies, including the Kirkland Town Library and the Oneida County Historical Society.
June 2014
Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages support the College’s generous need-based financial aid commitment. These donor-funded scholarships help ensure the Hamilton promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.
